Rebellion
by The girl with purple sneakers
Summary: AU In a world where womans rights are only spoken about in the past tense when Ino tries to save Hinata from a forced marriage she is dragged into a dangerous fight for her village. Sai/Ino Naru/Hina Neji/Ten Shika/Tema Sasu/Saku Mostly Ino Pov
1. Chapter 1

Chapter 1: Origins

May 18th 1865

Sai ran as fast as his bare feet would carry him as the dark alleys around him blurred and he ran. The empty sky, covered with thick, heavy clouds was such a perfect omen for what had happened. His lungs were burning and he could barely feel his legs. He could still see images of his father, mother and worst of all, his older brother. The rough stone tore at his feet, they were a bloody mess. It was his older brother that, played with him, took him to the park and taught him to draw, his favourite past time much to his parents disappointment. He paused for breath before starting to run again, but that pause meant his thoughts could catch up.

He would never hear his father's laugh, feel his mother's arms around him or his brother teach him a new trick, they had died, killed by a stranger wrapped in bandages. Sai's seven year old brain couldn't cope with the pain and terror of his ordeal and so he focused on the pounding of his feet. In fact he was so concentrated on them that he didn't see the grey haired man in front of him until he ran slap bang into him. In the half dark all he could see was one single eye glinting in the dark, just like the man who stole his family, instinctively he shied away.

"Where are you running to young man?" the mysterious stranger asked in a kindly tone. He eye smiled until he saw the blood stains on the boy's tunic sleeve, his tear marked, terrified face and clan symbol on his sleeve. His eye grew cold making Sai back away even further but still to shocked to turn and run.

"So Danzo is back to his old tricks." He spat on the ground in disgust and then forced his eye smile back. "Well then young man since you obviously have nowhere else to go why don't you come with me and we'll see if we can't get you some hot coca." Sai didn't know what to do so he just nodded politely like his parents told him to do in front of adults and took the man's out stretched hand.

Over the next two years Sai was joined by more orphans. First there was Naruto, nobody knew his clan, he was one of the Kyubi victims apparently. He had an annoying habit of wearing orange and with his blond hair and brilliant blue eyes you could spot him a mile away. The scars, like whiskers on his face, were a mystery along with the way Kakashi was occasionally caught looking at him regretfully and muttering the name Minato under his breath. But he was nice to Sai, even if he seemed to find him a bit weird. Maybe that was because after he started calling Sai vampire he christened Naruto with the name, Dickless.

Then came Lee, in some ways he was like Sai, not good with normal humans. That was their only similarity, in all other aspects he was more like Naruto. He favoured another overly bright colour, green, had black hair that shined in pitch black room, no known clan and an attitude that annoyed everyone. But sadly for him while Naruto's annoyingness wore down into an incredibly likeable person Lee's never quite did. Their final likeness was by the tender age of nine they would both had huge crushes on Sakura.

Sakura drifted in and out, sometimes staying with them, other times with Tsunade head doctor of Konoha Hospital. Her parents were killed in a medical accident so Tsunade, her god mother, had to take her in but as a doctor couldn't always take care of a child so she stayed with the others. Her pink hair might have come from some chemical that her mother had tested on herself during pregnancy. She was awfully shy at first but when she got to know them she was nice. Unless a handsome, rich, preferably emo boy came by, then she became a grade S fan girl, but Tenten was trying to beat that out of her, with extreme vengeance.

Tenten was the daughter of a friend of Kakashi's who was a blacksmith. Because of this Tenten was skilled with most weapons, except rapiers. Her father was killed by one wielded by a man with snake eyes she said, she could no longer look at one. She had an easy going manner and was the same age Lee, a year older than the others. Her doe eyes deceived many, hiding the huge inner courage she held inside. She also had a compassionate side and though she was a tomboy (who couldn't be with always living the boys) she loved spending time with Sakura even though the aspiring doctor was annoying sometimes. She spent most of her time with Lee or Sakura.

The dog boy was the roughest of the lot, which was odd because he came from a reasonably well known clan. The reason for his fierceness was his belief in his failure to protect his mother when she was murdered before his eyes. This sight had snapped something inside him and he had ferocity in his eyes that never went away. But he was as loyal to his friends as the puppy Akamaru was to him. The dog and boy were both strays and they were never parted, they made a good team. Kiba's two scars on his face were the reason that Tsume leaping forward to die in the blade of the masked soldiers, he had been tortured. He, Naruto and Choji had built a close friendship.

Choji was the last of them to join, son of the once great (now dead) Akamichi clan. Choji had suffered a tummy bug the night of the genocide and so wasn't allowed to eat any of the rich food common of the Akimichi meals, he was the only survivor. He had run away from the orphanage he had been sent to because of the teasing and lack of food for someone of his build. Kakashi had picked him up with the same comment he used when he found Sai and Kiba. The plump boy was an amazing cook and had was just about kindest person alive. He brought balance to a firework group waiting to happen. He had only lost his temper once and that was when some boys were picking on Naruto, because of his scars, this had turned him into an incredible Hulk style fighter. His loyalty to his friends surpassed even Kiba's.

Through this group of mismatches Sai began to smile, his strongest bonds were with Naruto and Sakura but somehow even though he fitted in he never truly felt part of it.

June 1st 1868

It was a brilliant sunny day, filled with gentile ladies and gentlemen strolling through the park, only one person dared to break the atmosphere. Ino turned and ran as fast as she could from Ebisu. She giggled as the glanced over her shoulder and saw the look of shock on the stuffy man's face and his attempts to politely barge pass people, he soon fell behind but Ino continued to run weaving through people clutching tightly to her parasol.

She felt like she had lost him only to realise that she had also managed to lose herself. She must have slipped off one of the alleys that led away from the green meadow and was now thoroughly lost. She tried to retrace her steps, panicking she started to run again until she came to an abrupt stop when she fell over someone's foot.

"I'm sorry lady, I didn't mean to, I mean I shouldn't have..." the boy in front of Ino stumbled over his words his dark hair flopping over his eyes and his cap falling askew in such a cute way that the little girl couldn't help giggling. He was obviously put off by her fancy clothing and perfect hair.

"Don't worry about it, I'm Ino nice to meet." She stuck her hand out, while still on the ground and shook his still shocked one.

"You can sit down you know, you don't have to stay standing." Finally Sai sat back down again.

After that flurry of action Ino was instantly looking for something to say.

"What's your name?"

"Sai," he replied blushing under her brilliant blue eyed stare.

So she sat there with the puppy's head resting on her lap with her parasol over her shoulder watching as Sai picked up something off the ground and began to draw. For awhile Ino enjoyed the peace of the moment, the two of them sitting on the corner of the street. Finally the silence became too much for Ino and she had to say something.

"Do you do a lot of drawing then, because you're really good." She said in her usual brisk manner.

"When I can but paper is too expensive so often I draw on the walls with chalk from the fire." He smiled at her and showed her what he had drawn. It was Ino with all her skirts around her as she sat on the ground. Her eyes shone with joy and the brightened even more when he gave her the small scrap of paper.

"I really ought to be going home, but," she added with a small frown on her small face, "I don't know where to go."

"Where's your house, what does it look like" asked Sai.

"Well there is a big tree in the end of the street with a huge knothole in it and there are five houses on my side and one has a huge fountain with dolphins in it, another has ten different rose bushes and they all flower at different times and my house has two huge white pillars on either side of the gate and lots of grass and a gravel drive with thin white trees going up either side."

"I know which street that is," the young boy said a proud smile on his face, that he could help his new found (and pretty) friend, "Come on." He grabbed her by the hand and all but dragged her through the streets and some alleys with the puppy hot at their heels. Inos booted feet stumbled on the uneven ground which Sai's bare feet seemed fine to cope with.

Finally after what seemed like hours to Ino she was back on familiar ground. She pulled a head of Sai and sprinted as fast as her nine year old legs could through a gap in the fence and up to the huge front door. Panting she knocked hard against the old oak.

"I'm sorry we do not buy products off the streets thank you," came the clear crisp voice of the butler.

"It's me silly, I'm back," Ino cried out still filled with adrenalin from her run back home.

"Miss Ino," the butler replied with surprise as he opened the door and ushered the young girl in, "Where have you been? Don't you ever run off like that again, your father has been worried sick that was reckless and silly behaviour from a young lady to be."

"Oh don't worry, I was quite safe, I had Sai..." she turned around to point him out only to find that he had melted back into the darkness.

"What was that Miss Ino?" the butler asked as he led her up the grand, gilt stairway.

"Nothing, I am just very tired now and would like to bed now, thank you."

"Very well, I will inform your father of your safe return." The butler handed her over to a maid who led her off to bed. In all the rush Ino hadn't noticed that she had left her parasol behind.

The next day Ino woke up with a smile on her face, and pulled on her dress fumbling with the strings at the back, her father may be rich but he was not rich enough to have a maid constantly on call for the nine year old so, surprisingly for one of her class, she could dress herself. Ino ran downstairs eager to finish her lessons early so that she could try and find Sai. But as she brushed past the butler and skided at the bottom the stairs on the polished marble floor she saw something, her purple parasol, on the table. When she grabbed it a little note fluttered to the floor and on it were three tiny drawings. The first was a church, Ino went to church on a Sunday and yesterday was a Sunday. The second was a clock showing three and the third was a sketch of her and Sai sitting at the corner. Ino's cheeks dimpled in a smile as she scrunched the note up tightly in her hand and knew that the next week wasn't going to go fast enough.

A/N Yes there are plot holes, if you have any ideas please say in REVIEWS. Any ooc is (hopefully) because this is AU, they aren't going to be identical to their mange personalities. So long...


	2. Chapter 2

Chapter two

One month after Ino met Sai Sarutobi was no longer Hokage. Nobody had any idea of what had really happened. Of course the media preached of Danzo as saviour from a corrupt leader etc. but in truth this was incredibly unlikely. For the next three months or so changes were many and forgiveness was sparse. All those thought to have any connection to Sarutobi were ruthlessly slaughtered. Some were publicly made examples of and others simply 'disappeared'. Among those made example were Asuma and Kurenia, the third Hokage's son and daughter in law. It is believed that his grandson escaped, though rumours were unconfirmed. His main aim, turn Konoha into the militaristic machine it once was.

A rule of the elite, clans that became loyal to Danzo were given special treatment along with his most prominent supporters. Those who were poorer or simply could not make a name for themselves were forgotten. The lower class suffered from this new rule, things were tricky at times during Sarutobi's reign but under Danzo they became near impossible. He them went one step further and trashed women's rights. They were not allowed to work for a living, arrange their own marriages and were considered property of the closest male to them. By the time Ino and Sai were fifteen the entire town and surrounding area was in an almost constant economic and just general depression.

May 18th 1873

Ino and Hinata were strolling through the park arm in arm seemingly enjoying the warm spring sun and with no noise being made other then the rustle of the purple and pale blue silk of their dresses. Behind them strode Neji, Hinata's cousin and Shikamaru, Ino's family friend, chatting quietly while keeping an eye on the ladies.

As usual many eyes followed the four around, one the most celebrated young beauties of Konoha, the daughter and nephew of the powerful army commander and politician Hisashi and son of Shikaku, the richest business man and greatest strategist in Konoha. For once however Ino was paying no attention to the stares completely lost in her own train of thought, because recently her daddy had dropped a huge bombshell on her head.

She was to marry Sasuke Uchiha; the engagement was to be officially announced on her sixteenth birthday. She had no obvious problems with it, he was handsome enough not to be overshadowed by her beauty, he acted like a gentleman, he had intelligence and he even had direct links with the Hokage and Kazekage, in fact the list went on.

Yet she felt like something wasn't right about him, he was the model of etiquette yet he acted like a robot. He never had any passion on his face except for his eyes; they had sadness in them that saddened her and a deep burning anger that scared her even more. But Danzo had decreed that it must be so, and that meant that there was no preventing it now.

"So how are you Hinata, you look tired." Ino said shaking herself away from her brooding.

"I am fine Ino, just needing to catch up with some sleep, you don't look at your very best yourself." It was obvious there was more to it then this but for once Ino did not want to pry.

Or at least not for the first five minutes but the awkward silence eventually caused the chatty blonde to give up, so she blurted out

"If I tell you why I am worried you tell me why you are, ok?" Hinata stopped for a second tilting her doll like face to tilt to the side then she gave the tiniest of nods and then continued to walk around the sunlit park.

Ino took in a deep breath and slowly exhaled,

"I am to be married to Sasuke Uchiha; the engagement will be announced on my sixteenth birthday." She turned to look at Hinata to try and gauge the reaction but she still had the usual impenetrable Hyuga mask up.

"So what do you think?" Ino asked nervously.

"A not at all surprising event all things considered, the two of us are the most eligible ladies to be married to him. You with your beauty," this comment caused Ino blush, "and reasonably high status and me with my father and thus highest status. However," here Hinata paused and a small frown creased her delicate features, "I am no longer available."

Ino instantly whipped round to the silver eyed heiress, sensing huge gossip potential, Hinata had never mentioned an engagement there was maybe only one or two men in Konoha that her father thought were worthy of a marriage into the Hyuga clan.

"This brings me onto my point, my father has offered my hand in marriage to the Hokage and he has accepted." Ino gasped in shock, the young and frail Hinata was going to be married to the fifty plus man that ruled their once great town, that, that, Ino searched for a word in her head, Pervert.

"Apparently we are to marry in six months time. My father says that I should be happy to be the wife of such a rich and powerful man. But, but Ino," for the first time that she had told Ino this she turned to look at her, "Ino, I am so scared." for just a moment her voice trembled and Ino looked at her properly. In the corner of her brilliant silver eyes tears sparkled and the hand holding her blue, lacy parasol was trembling. For a Hyuga, especially one like Hinata who would have been brought up to never show the wrong emotions, she must be on verge of a mental break down on the inside, to be honest it was scaring Ino now.

"Hinata," Ino tried to steady her voice, "Hinata I promise that I will find a way out of this, but what does Neji think of this?" Ino asked remembering how over protective he could be when it came to his cousins.

"He doesn't know, and please don't tell him," Hinata pleaded, "I fear he might do something irrational,"

"Hinata how much do you want to not have to do this?" Inos voice had steely quality to it her mind whirring with possible plans, now severely thinned down with the restriction of not telling Neji.

"I, I," Hinata stuttered dropping her curtain of hair to hide her face as she whispered, "I would do anything." Ino paused for a moment before smiling.

"Then I believe I may have a plan, meet me for a shopping trip on Monday, at ten. Come Shikamaru, I must get back to the house for tea." Ino turned regally causing Shikamaru to roll his eyes and bow politely to the two Hyugas before striding after Ino.

May 19th 1873

Ino had to stop herself running from the house where she had managed to get out of having any kind of escort on the pretence that she was going to meet Yoshino knowing that Inoichi would never have the guts to ask her if they organised to meet up. She seemed oddly happy considering the enormity of what she was trying to do.

She put on a nondescript coat and gray silk scarf to cover her dress and face. It took a lot of strength not to just break into a sprint but that would unseemly for a lady.

She expertly navigated the dingy streets until she reached the corner where she saw Sai sitting there patiently sketching on a piece of wood. He looked up and smiled at her so she tugged her scarf down and she beamed back her blue eyes lighting up. She had learnt to tell which were his real smiles and which were the fake ones and that had been a real one.

She sat down with a whoosh of silk ignoring the odd stares that she received.

"I'm sorry I could only get hold of one loaf of bread and some crackers, if my clothes money completely disappears father will be suspicious." Time had become so hard for orphanage that Kakashi ran that they often had to resort to charity or breaking thelaw. He smiled in thanks instantly knowing that there was something her on her mind. She paused for a moment to catch her breath before putting a serious expression.

"Sai, I have a huge secret to trust you with and an even bigger favour to ask from you, but promise me that you will tell no one of this." The earnest look on her face and tone of her voice told him that she wasn't joking around. Slowly he nodded his head.

"As long as it doesn't go against my morals Ino I will do this task that you wish." His voice was flat but his eyes sparkled at the possible adventure. Inos face however was an open book one filled with happiness before it snapped back to the look of seriousness it had originally.

"Then you are going to be my accomplice in helping a Hyuga run away from her father and Danzo." The look of pride on her face was almost comical but Sai was to be reeling from what she had just said.

"Why?" he whispered, confused.

"Because her evil father wants to marry her to that paedophile Hokage, Hinata is only fifteen and a half and he's like fifty."

"Fifty five to be precise," Sai replied his mouth on autopilot as his mind had already began thinking if it was possible. Pros; Kakashi and Tsunade would be hard put to find a way to better annoy Danzo then steal his bride, he was unlikely look for her in the very dirtiest of Konohas slums, this Hinata may have information previously unavailable to the group and he would be helping out Ino so she would be an even better friend to him. Cons; if they were caught well things would be nasty, an elite would not like the conditions that she would receive under their care, he would be in big trouble for going behind Tsunade and Kakashis backs and the others may resent her.

For several agonising minutes he sat there his hands absentmindedly sketching, finally he looked up at Ino who held her breath,

"Yes."


	3. Chapter 3

Chapter 3

May 19th 1873

That caused Ino to wrap her arms around Sai before noticing all the stares they were receiving from various street kids.

"Now the fun part Sai," Ino said her eyes alight with mischief," we make the plan. Soooooo, do you have any ideas?"

"None are very exciting, but it is important that you do not have any contact with her for at least two weeks before the escape."

"What" Ino shrieked causing even more, on belonging to a blue eyed, blond haired kid. "This is my friend's scariest moments of her life and you expect me to abandon her." The look of shock on her face hurt Sai a little.

"It's merely because if you are seen to have any contact with her before this you are likely to be tortured for information, and you do not have any training in hiding your emotions." Sai finished off his sentence with a dry feel, a dig at her earlier look of betrayal at him.

"I'm sorry Sai, I wasn't thinking but how am I supposed to stop people suspecting me of anything to do with it, I am her only real friend and she mine."

"We could stage an argument between you two and that may also look like a cause for her to run away, but further then that I have no idea." They sat there in silence waiting for a brilliant idea to hit them.

"Okay I have contacts that I can talk to, they might be able to plan an escape for her. I believe the best way is for us to try and break her out."

"But, that's impossible, it's THE Hyuga compound. It's got to have blanket security."

"The bigger the area the greater the gaps." Sai said confidently even though inside the idea scared him a bit, even just suggesting it to Kakashi. "I should have more details by Monday. Now you should be leaving."

"But I can't wait till Monday, I promised Hinata I would have a plan by then." Ino screeched in his face drawing more stares. After a pointed glance she quieted down again. "Come on Sai my father doesn't expect me until six o'clock. We still have time for me to meet your mysterious 'contacts'." Insert giggle and widening of puppy dog eyes.

"I can't Ino it's not that simple."

"Then I guess that I will just have to follow you back." Sai had to stop himself laughing, Ino would never be able to follow him successfully especially with her shiny blonde hair and clean white face, she stood out more than Naruto. But if he ran from her she would no longer want to be friends with him and that would hurt, a lot.

"Fine, follow me." Grabbing her hand roughly he tugged her hand and dragged her down a new maze of alleys often back tracking and occasionally trying to slip down side roads that Ino's dress couldn't fit through. With this sense of urgency and mild frustration that came with giving in so easily to Ino, Sai never noticed the blonde headed boy peel off from the crowds and follow surprisingly discreetly until his hand clapped down on Sai's shoulder.

"Hello Sai, who's this lovely lady?" He all but sang in his cheery voice, putting on an overly cheesy grin. "Sunk to kidnapping to try to pay for some food Sai, I'm not happy with you. Taking advantage of innocent ladies, especially one as lovely as this." Naruto bowed with an elegant flourish of his hand only to walk into Sai who had stopped walking in frustration. Ino watched the orange clad boy with sparkly eyes, laughing at his antics.

"Look, it is her who has taken advantage of me by persuading me to take her to the Cyclops and Granny."

"Are you mad?" Naruto's face turned serious with a dash of something close to wonder. "Sai, you weren't normal but this is a bit far even for you. Cyclops is nicer to you because he found you first but he is not going to like this."

"In your own words Naruto I need to loosen up a bit." Sai shot back dryly.

"I am sorry kami," Naruto collapsed on his knees, "for driving Sai to suicide, please forgive me for this crime." After this dramatic announcement Sai grabbed Naruto by his loose orange shirt and dragged him up and took hold of Ino's hand and pulled her along.

"Sai," Naruto whined, "Are you trying to kill me?" He waited for a reply but when none came he tried again, "You're strangling me and it hu..." He was cut off by Sai yanking him around a corner where the blond idiot fell over an empty beer bottle.

"Oh we're nearly back, that's Granny's special alcohol."

"If you mean her dirt cheap paint stripper than yes your guess was right."

"You really should try be dragged backwards Sai, everything looks different, makes a change." Sai rolled his eyes and shoved Naruto forwards, into a cracked and broken door.

"You go in first, I need to prepare Ino for this."

"You do that, See you soon Lady Ino." Naruto doffed and imaginary hat and strolled through the cracked door flicking off the string catch with ease. Ino looked around her; everything was different to even the streets that she met Sai at. Here above her head a tangle of walkways blocked out most of the light and the ground was littered with rubbish and all the cobble stones were worn down to an almost dirt track. The house in front of her was covered in loose plaster and the windows were all bordered up with gaps that had rags draped over them. The place held an air of age and an unkempt quality that made it seem dark and cold.

"Ino, you asked to come here so I can't stop you now but a word of warning, not everyone in here is going to like you. People in your class are often the reason that there are people in this class of living. Try not to say too much and make sure that your coat covers your dress. The man with long spiky gray hair and one eye and the lady with the diamond tattoo on her head must be shown respect." Ino nodded silently, committing it all to memory, she needed these people on her side so she would just have to follow what Sai said.

He went first stepping forwards he lifted up the piece of string and shoved the door open, it swung on its rusty hinged to reveal...

A/N another Cliffhanger, mostly because I need time to think of what is going to happen. Use the power of your reviews.


	4. Chapter 4

Chapter 4 – Meetings

Slowly Ino stepped into the gloom slowly her eyes growing accustomed the darkness to see, no one but Sai. There was a table covered in dust with shapes that she couldn't make out on top of it. Looking down the worn floorboards themselves were remarkably dust free. This showed that it was maybe a hallway but the only exit, and entrance, was behind her. Sai walked up to a hook dangling from the ceiling and yanked on it three times hard. After an awkward minute pause which involved Sai staring at the ceiling and Ino shuffling her feet around Sai nodded to himself and pulled on one of the planks leaning against the paint peeling walls which caused part of the wall to literally come away.

"Well then up you go." Sai smiled kindly at Ino looking at her shocked face. "Don't worry, no one is going to bite your head, sorry if all this has been a bit of a," he paused looking for a suitable word, "culture shock. But you were the one who wanted to come here." Ino nodded mutely surprised by the lengths that had obviously been gone too to try and conceal the entrance into this building. For this first time ever she felt nervous around Sai. This was his home, a place that they hid using the wall. She placed one hand on the rusty ladder and took in a deep breath only to choke on the dusty air. Throwing a glare over her shoulder at the silently laughing Sai she scurried up the ladder.

She climbed for maybe thirty seconds, often pausing for a breath and then feeling Sai's head but against her feet. She would have complained but he wouldn't be able to see anything in this hellish darkness. The walls of the vertical corridor were covered in soot, maybe it was once a fireplace. Whatever the reason Ino was glad the coat covered her dress. Finally her eyes felt block of light above her head. Finally she scrabbled out onto the floor and fell onto the floor in a coughing heap.

"Are, are you alright Miss?" Ino looked up blinking the soot out of her eyes. Standing in a circle around her were five people around her age, three boys and two girls.

"Eh, Miss," again it was the chubby boy who spoke, he looked at her with kind eyes, "you might want to move. Sai can't get out." Ino gave a worried gasp and shuffled out of the way, Sai fell gasping to the floor.

"Oh dear lord I'm so sorry Sai." Ino stood up in a rush. Sai continued to cough, eventually it petered out in time for Ino to hear voices coming out of an opening door, one of them seemed hauntingly familiar.

"Naruto, what do you mean Sai has led a stranger here. Kakashi this is not good, you need to create more discipline," as the group parted the voice abruptly stopped. Ino looked up from Sai as he stood up. Her eyes widened and all her breath rushed out of her lungs in shear shock.

"Ino," he finally choked out, it was Shikamaru. "What are you doing here?" The confusion quickly gave way to anger as he brushed past Choji , Kiba and Ino and grabbed onto Sai's shirt.

"You idiot," he roared, shaking Sai, "What have you done, she has nothing," he spat the word out and repeated it for emphasis, "nothing to do with this." Suddenly the anger was flicked off like a switch leaving only ice cold calmness. With a delicate politeness he spat out,

"I'll be in the office talking with Shino." He turned and paced to the doorway that they had just come out of. Grabbing the door handle he didn't even bother to turn, just wrenched it open and slammed it behind him causing the flimsy plaster walls to shake.

A silence filled the room, the barely hushed whispers of Shikamaru and a man called Shino were audible but that was all. Ino was in shock, the man she thought she knew, the lazy, useless Shika was here. In a slum in southern Konoha and he knew Sai. His anger as well surprised her, he had never sounded so furious about anything. What was this that he mentioned though, he made it sound dangerous. But he was Shikamaru, what would he have to do with anything dangerous, the man who would try to avoid even signing documents. The whole scene had left her with a headache.

The others, apart from Kakashi, were surprised at an emotional outburst from the professional and calm Shikamaru Nara, he was always calm and sensible yet here he had almost tried to strangle Sai. Sai himself, who had still been trying to catch his breath after all the soot, had a rare pink tinge to his normally pale white face but it soon turned back to the usual alabaster. He slipped the cover back over the entrance. Kakashi had however merely pulled out an orange book and started reading it, seemingly oblivious to all the tension. Finally when everyone was starting to move he snapped his book shut with a pathetic 'thup', well that's what happens if you read to a book too much.

"How are you, Ino was the name I got from Shikamaru? My name is Kakashi." He finished with an eye smile and an extended hand as well. For the first time Ino properly focused on the man with the gravity defying, grey hair. There wasn't much more to describe due to the fact that the only other notable feature on his face was one of his eyes and that was a rather ordinary black, brown colour. The rest of his face was covered by a mask and a headband (slung low over the other eye). His clothes again were a non descript loose shirt tucked into a pair of black trousers and a long, black, not leather, trench coat.

"You had better come up with a very believable story behind how you persuaded Sai to drag you here," he paused for a second, "or a really un believable one, just to prove you aren't a spy."

Ino was confused at why they would be worried about spies but remembered the hidden entrance and the ability to break a Hyuga out. She opened her mouth to explain her story and

A/N Yes I like cliffhangers, mostly because I'm too lazy to write more. I will try and update sooner. Reviews will give you better Karma, honest. Thank you to my first reviewer kimione and Em Hyuuga, vash3055 and Lunar Clockwork for putting me on story alert


End file.
